JessSuze
by Jessica Knightly
Summary: Jess, due to some circumstances, has to move to bright Carmel, California. Where she meets Suze, Paul, and all the rest. Cross-over between 1-800-WHERE-R-U and Mediator.
1. Moving?

"Well you certainly know how to piss people off, Mastriani," Rob said encircling me in his arms. My head suddenly felt to heavy to hold up and I let it fall onto his shoulder. Unlike normal Rob didn't pull back from this action.

"God, I'm going to miss you when I leave," I breathed into his leather jacket.

Rob pulled back after a few minutes to look at my face. "Jess," he whispered. I was suddenly alert at his use of my first name. He searched my eyes then continued. "I…I love you." I smiled up at him. He kissed my forehead and pulled me into a closer, tighter embrace.

"Promise me, Rob, that no matter what happens you won't forget me."

"Never," he breathed into my hair. "Mastriani, there's no possible way I could ever forget you." Then he leaned down and kissed me. I kissed him in return with no holdbacks pushing up even closer to him. Rob didn't pull away as he generally would have. If anything he deepened the kiss.

I guess I should have been startled by this uncommon behavior- him embracing me, his pledge of love, and actually kissing me. Yet, now as we stood on my porch after a drive on his motorcycle, the circumstances were not normal. To night would be last time that we ever saw each other- at least until the world decided I was allowed to have a life. Tomorrow early in the morning I would be leaving Indiana to move in with someone I'd met once in my life in some city I wasn't even allowed to know the name of till I was there. I wouldn't be allowed to call my family, my best friend Ruth, my other friends, or even my boyfriend, Rob. This is what it meant to be Lightning Girl.

Rob eased away first much to my disappointment. I kept my eyes closed for a few moments longer so Rob wouldn't see the tears starting to from in my eyes. I hugged him tightly enjoying the warmth of his arms then pulled abruptly away. "Goodbye, Rob. I love you." I said then turned away. Rob reached out and grabbed my wrist pulling me back to him. Again his lips meet mine, but only for a moment.

"See you in a few years Mastriani." I bit my lower lip, nodded, then walked into my house. I would be leaving so early in the morning that there was no point in going to bed. I had already said goodbye to Ruth, her family, and my other friends. I had also already said goodbye to my family. They wouldn't be there in the morning to see my off. They were with Doug as they should be. I looked around the dark house. Even to my trained eyes I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there lurking in the shadows.

"Hey everyone. I got a few more things to pack. I'll be in my room," I told the invisible people. Then I ran upstairs the tears threatening to overflow. I heard rustling from the family room as I ran, but I didn't stop. I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face then dried it off. Once assured that I was no longer in threat of breaking into tears I left the bathroom and went to my room. All of my stuff besides furniture, some clothes, and a vanilla envelope was in boxes except for a lone suitcase and a backpack.

"Jessica," a voice came from the doorway. I knew without looking it was Agent Smith. "You alright?"

I shrugged still not turning around. "I guess I'm as fine as I can be."

"Jessica, it's not forever. It's only till your trained and can be safe," she said.

"Yeah," I said disdainfully. "Which can't start to begin till I'm in my second year of college and won't end till five years later. Why can't I simply say I quit?"

"Just because you stop working with us doesn't mean you once did. Your past will not be deleted. People angry with you now will not simply forget their anger because you want to move on. This way you can at least protect yourself. Moving, I might remind you Jessica, was your decision."

"I would have made it even if I had quit. This is the second time since this mess happened that because of me Doug is in the hospital. I can't do this to my family anymore. Make them live in danger, in fear because of what I am. I won't allow it!" I yelled in frustration. I spun to face her.

"Jessica don't you think that your parents should be allowed to do what they want."

"Hey!" I said. "Don't speak that way! We made this decision as a family!"

Agent Smith sighed, nodded and then left my room. I changed into my pajamas and stuffed the clothes I was wearing into the suitcase. Then I curled up into my bed not intend of sleeping but more of a comfort routine. It was few hours of just laying in bed staring at the ceiling thinking of nothing before they came to get me to get ready to leave. In what seemed as a dream state I got out of bed, showered and got dressed in jeans with holes at the knees, a black loose top and the leather jacket that Rob had given me the night we saved Heather. I also had on the watch he had given me after the ordeal. Then I slung on my backpack, grabbed the suitcase and walked downstairs. There were about four FBI agents standing in front of the door waiting for me.

"Your boxes will be delivered to your new resident in a few days," one of the agents told me as I entered the room. I rolled my eyes. I mean, it wasn't like they hadn't told me fifty thousand times already. I knew exactly what was going down at this point. All except where I was going- for my own protection they can't tell me.

"We should be going," another said. I nodded and walked out the open front door with an agent flanking me on both sides. A white van was across the street. It was the van that long ago when I told the FBI that I had ran out of power had been following me non stop. It was in that van that I had first called the two agents assigned to my case, Special Agents Johnson and Smith, by their first names. It was the van that had transported me to and from the army base for the better part of a year now. It was the van that would now take me to the army base airport and my new life. I climbed into the van with just a little resentment. Special Agent Johnson sat in the driver seat and Special Agent Smith in the seat next to him. The two agents who had been flanking me climbed in after me slamming the door **way** too loudly for three in the morning. I looked at my house from the tinted windows of the van. Two shadows could be seen moving through it as the van took off down the street.

"Here's at little packet on where you're going to be living, Jessica," said one of the agents on the private plan escorting me to god knows where. _At least, _I told myself, _once you get there you won't have agents stalking you all day. _The first thing in the packet was a brochure on my new school. MY SCHOOL HAD A BROCHURE! IT'S A TOURIST ATTRACTMENT! HOW WEIRD IS THAT???? There was also a thing about golf. I'm not kidding. Golf. This place, yeah, it's known for its golf course. Finally I got to a thing about the actual city. The first lines of it… well it caught my attention. I'll give them that.

**Carmel**

City by the Sea

Okay. Sea? Seriously? Hello called an ocean people! Ocean, not sea. Seas are nice and warm. FOUND ON EASTERN PART OF WORLD! Pacific Ocean? Yeah not so warm, let me tell you. Though the agent said that the water at Carmel is okay. "It's better than San Francisco Bay. Can't even swim in the bay. Carmel you can go in with a wet suit for surfing." Wet suit? I DON'T OWN A WET SUIT! And I so do not surf. What were they thinking making me move here? I mean yeah so I know the principle (yeah that person I mentioned earlier that I'm STAYING with. Yeah, he's the principle of my new school!), but can't I just like... I don't know stay in my own place? I mean its not like they have to worry about my, you know, sexual safety, considering that my boyfriend DOSEN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE I AM! Oh my gosh! This is so wrong.


	2. Living with whom?

Corrections have been made that's to moovalous3who kindly pointed out that Cassandra was greek, not Egyptian. My thanx. 

Jesse POV

Father Dominic seemed stressed today. I wasn't the only one who noticed it. Susannah came into his office while I was there and picked up on it immediately.

"Hey Father Dom. What's up. You're fiddling your cigarettes again," she said staring at his hands, which were indeed holding a cigarette box. She didn't even look at me, though I knew she knew I was there. She'd been ignoring me ever seen, well, since she told me she loved me and I, being the idiot that I am, said nothing in return.

"It's nothing of importance, Susannah."

Susannah just stared at him then in her semi-irritated voice she said, "Bull."

Father Dominic sighed. "I have a daughter of a friend's friend coming to stay with me for a while. She has," the father paused, "some problems that make me a tiny bit nervous. That is all."

"Just tell her if she hassles you too much tell her that I'd be oh so happy to you know, fix her, physically."

"Susannah!" the father cried. Susannah grinned her eyes sparkling. Father Dominic looked nervous again quiet quickly. "Not that that will help her any. There hasn't been a day she wasn't in detention her whole high school career it seems. She's even less tolerant of bully teasing than you are. It comes with the territory of her family I guess." Susannah now looked very intrigued. Again Father Dominic sighed. "Ignore me, please Susannah. This girl brings much turmoil with her. I must ask you though, to try and be kind to her when she arrives. And don't mention her home or family. It will be too hard on her I'm afraid. She's already had to change much of herself and her life we don't need to make it even harder on her." Susannah nodded though she had a devious look to her eye. "Was there something that you wanted to talk about Susannah?" the father asked.

Finally Susannah met my eyes. Anger, pain, and sadness streaming from her eyes held me transfixed. "I had a visit from a ghost," she said turning back to Father Dominic. "He wants to know where his body is. He wants it to be found. I think he was murdered, but he's one of those picky ghosts. Can't talk about his death or just refuses to. Personally I'm starting to think they just want to make our job harder than it already is."

"Susannah, I highly doubt that the ghost is out to get you."

"I didn't say that. I just said they want to. You know, for fun. I mean ghost still have emotions, or at least, I thought they did." I winced at her words. She was no longer talking to Father Dominic or about this ghost. She was directing it at me.

"Susannah tell this ghost that you need a few days time. I know someone who might be able to help, but I must talk to her first."

Again Susannah looked intrigued by the father's words. "Know another mediator you're holding out on?" she asked with interest.

"No," the father answered. "I just know someone who might be able to help." He refused to say more no matter how much Susannah bugged him. It was very unusual for the father. He was never very secretive. Eventually Susannah left. The father turned to me. "Did something happen between you two, Jesse?" he asked.

"She told me that she loved me."

"Oh dear," the father breathed.

"I didn't say anything back," I told him miserably.

"Jesse," he said before being interrupted by a novice walking in.

"Father," the novice said. "Someone named Jill Smith told me to tell you that Cassandra would be arriving in two hours."

"Thank you Sister," Father Dominic said smiling but visibly paling. Once the novice left he muttered under his breath "Code names! She has a code name!"

"Father," I said startling him back to the present, "who is this girl that is coming and why does she share a name with the Greek god known for physic abilities?"

"Her name's Jessica, not Cassandra. I am going to tell you some things in hopes that you can help. Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone, especially Susannah." At my nod he continued, "Jessica has a very special ability, which I can't not tell you, but it has put her in grave danger. Due to this danger and some family issues she and the rest of her family have decide that it's best she leave. Over the summer she changed her appearance and when school started again did not go to school. I met her about a year ago at a Christian conference in Indiana. People that Jessica works with contacted me three weeks ago asking if it was all right that she stayed with me until she goes to college. She has no idea with whom she is staying with at this point. Until a few hours ago she had know idea where she was moving to. She was simply told that she would be staying with someone that she met once before. Her family and friends have no idea where she is and she's not allowed to have contact with them until… well, until as she put it to the people she works with, till the world allows her to have a life. From what I know of her she is much like Susannah was when she first moved here. She can not see ghost, though.

"Jesse, I have come to trust you enough to ask you. Please stay with her for most hours a day. I know that you can't protect her as well as you do Susannah because you can't touch her, but Jesse, she needs someone to watch her and I simply can't do that at all times." I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Jesse, I'm asking you to live with her," the father said with obvious regret. "Just like you did with Susannah. Only this time she won't be able to see, touch, or hear you. Just protect her." I nodded in perfect understanding.


	3. New Girl, Old Guy

_Hey all. Thank you soooo much for reviewing! I would like all of you to know that I have most of the story written, I'm just pacing the posts so that if i hit writer's block at the end, you won't have to wait a rediculous amount of time. And don't worry all you Rob lovers, he is going to be back, later. He's my fav guy character out of Meg's so I can't NOT have him here! But during the wait between posts, if you wanna be super cool you can look on for my book in process-- The Rocker Girl for lack of a better title-- under my pen name Cylika Black. Have fun, and keep reviewing!_

_Disclaimer: I sadly don't own any of the characters, except a few teachers. So sorry i fogot this in earlier chapters. _

Susannah's POV

So let's just say I was a little freaked out when the first day after Christmas break came around. I mean I tell Jesse that I love him and he freaks out. I thought it would be obvious by now. It's been over a year since he first kissed me after me saving him from the Shadow world and from our second kiss next to his grave the night after I made that deal with Paul. But to Jesse it wasn't, I guess. Then the whole thing with Father Dominic. I really can't understand why he's freaking out so much. She sounds just like I did when I got here and look how I turned out. I mean with Father Dominic. I still so go around beating up ghost butt, maybe a little less though, and I haven't hit Dopey in a while. Still, I'm almost as hard ass as ever. Plus, lets just say that with me ignoring Jesse Paul had gone back to some of his ways. After we made that deal I kinda started to like him- as a friend. Yet, since my confession of love to Jesse, Paul has started… trying to gain me as more than a friend, again. So coming back to my senior year at Junipero Serra Mission Academy was not as exciting as it should have been.

Cee Cee and I were sitting in the back row of our first class, history with this really old teacher, when Cee Cee pokes me. I follow her gaze to this girl who had just walked in. She's wearing jeans with holes in them (obviously not knowing about the no jeans rule here at the academy) and a baggy dark blue shirt with lightning across the front and a leather jacket (my kind of girl!) that was way to big for her. Her hair was brown cut in spikes a little longer than shoulder length. She looked kind of pissed to be here, though I can understand why. I was P.O. in a MAJOR way when I first moved here.

"Ah," the teacher Mr. Welton yeah, I know it's not a character in the books. It's my own character. Couldn't think of any other name. Sry. "You must be the new student. Jessica Ma…"

"Jess. It's Jess," the girl interrupted. She looked kind of scared that the teacher had announced her name in front of the class.

"Right, well, Jess take a seat."

Her eyes locked on Mr. Welton. "You don't have assigned seating?" she asked with a somewhat country accent.

Mr. Welton smiled. "No, so long as you don't get too talkative." She looked shocked to hear that, but began to search the room. There were two open seats left in the classroom. One was next to Debbie, the biggest prep in school next to Kelly. The other was in the back next to Adam. The girl passed the one next to Debbie eyes only on the back seat.

"Sure, seat by the class freaks why don't you," Debbie muttered under her breath. She was referring to Adam and Cee Cee, since I was in a way her friend. The new girl's eyes silted and I was about to say something when she whipped around.

"Excuse me?" she asked in a pissed off screw you voice.

"Wasn't referring to you," Debbie said quickly no doubt remembering the last time she had said something about the freaks to the new girl. I had threatened to break her fingers.

"Oh, I know that, but I still will have no trouble adding you to the list of people who I've broken noses of. Where I sit is none of you business, but if you must know I'm sitting in the back so I don't have to sit next to preppy brats like you." Then she turned and walked to her new seat with Debbie gaping at her like a fish. I smiled at Cee Cee. I liked this girl already. The only thing wrong—Jesse was following her. I hadn't noticed him until she had sat down.


	4. Distressed Jess

squeals thank y'all for the reviews. I'm not gunna make a ton of comments because most of you are asking things that will ruin the story. But I'm glad you like the story so far. I've read some of the others... and I do have to agree with some certain reviews. That's all I'm saying.

Sorry it took so long to update. Homework's been a storm. Seriously haven't breathed normally in days... too much stress. And competion for Mock Trial started, so that's kept me busy.

Oh, and I started this story a LONG time ago... right after Haunted came out (and I mean right after... like the day after) So yes I've read Twilight, but this story does not coinside with the last book, at ALL.

Sry this is a bit short.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters... only the story line

Jess's POV

Do you know at this new school of mine they don't allow students to wear jeans? Seriously. How am I suppose to live? I'm not allowed to wear jeans! Oh and they don't have seating arrangements. The teacher in my first class was all just take a seat. They don't have bells either because it's a historical monument or something. Anyway after explaining to one of the sisters who works here and was showing me around because Father Dominic (yeah, the same one I'm suppose to stay with—who by the way I have still not met) that I hadn't known about the no jeans rule and had only packed jeans I went to my first class, history. The teacher was some old dude who I didn't get the name of told me to take a seat. I was shocked. I mean our teachers in Indiana were always so strict about the seating arrangements. That's how the whole thing over Amber started. So after he assured me it was a sit where you want system I looked around. There were two seats, one next to a preppy girl that Ruth would have been all over and another in the back. I saw the preppy girl then the back seat. Guess which one I picked. Back, duh.

The thing was the preppy girl made a big deal about it. I was so tempted just to hit her, but the teacher was kind of watching so I just settled on insulting her. I saw this somewhat preppy girl give an albino a smile after this. I just ignored them and sat next to a good-looking boy who grinned at me when I sat down. I just nodded at him. He was nothing like Rob. This school was nothing like mine back in Indiana. Though the preps seem just the same as they were… were back home. Home is here now, though. No more comparing what can not be compared.


	5. This is how it is?

_So sorry that the last update was so short. In response you get this one, which is longer. I'm soooo glad that you all like this story so far. I'm having a lot of fun writting it. And I'm sure there's many more surprises in the furture for you all. Remember to review please._

_Also if you're bored one night check my out on under the pen name Cylika Black. The two stories on there are After OUR Lives (a short story) and The Rocker Girl for lack of better title (a novel)._

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. They belong to Meg Cabot. _

Jesse's POV

Father Dominic was right when he said that this Jessica person is a lot like Susannah was when she first got here. Her clothing was even more atrocious than some of Susannah's. She had holes in her jeans! She was delivered to the school in a white van with four bulky people dressed in all black. They said something to her and she nodded then left them in a huff. I followed her to Father Dominic's office. He was out but Sister Ernestine helped her fill out the left over forms and showed her locker and her first class. Once in her first class she rudely interrupted the teacher before he could say her full name, correcting him about her first name. I saw Susannah looking very interested in the conversation in the back with her friends Adam and Cee Cee. I could not tell if she had seen me or not as of yet. Then the teacher told Jessica to take a seat ignoring her demeanor. She headed to the open seat in back, the one next to Susannah's friend Adam. It was then that I knew Susannah hadn't seen me because after she smiled her approval at Cee Cee she looked over at Jessica and her eyes narrowed. Once Jessica sat her eyes did not lower and I knew she was staring at me and not in a pleasant way.

Once during the school day Jessica punched a boy for teasing her country accent and another part during their lunch when Jessica went wondering I presume to explore. I followed her as Father Dominic asked me to and it wasn't long before she ran into Susannah. I have to admit that Jessica did look a little lost so I wasn't surprise when Susannah came over to her and asked if she needed help finding something despite my proximity.

"Oh," Jessica said sounding a little amazed. "No, thank you. Just you know, exploring. New school and all."

Susannah nodded in understanding. "Yeah," she smirked in a mean way that I didn't understand. "You're smarter than me, though. I did it at night when I was new." I knew that Susannah was trying to brake the tension between the two girls, but from my place it didn't seem to be working. Susannah stuck out her hand, "I'm Susannah Simon everyone except Father Dominic calls me Suze, though."

Before the girls could shake hands I heard a voice ring out that made my whole body tense. Susannah didn't look all that pleased either to my pleasure. "Suze, how are you?" Paul asked stalking over to them.

"Fine, Paul. And how was your break?" Susannah asked.

Paul waved his hand in a dismissive way. "You know how the family is. Nothing interested. Glad to be away from them." Jessica's eyes narrowed at his words, but she said nothing. Paul turned her gaze to Jessica and got a primitive look in his eyes. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend, Suze?" he asked

Susannah looked sick. "This is Jessica. I mean Jess," Susannah corrected.

Paul smiled at Jessica. "Please to met you, Jess," he said offering his hand to her. She took it timidly. Still she said nothing. Paul's smile widened. "Shy one, aren't you?"

Jessica removed her hand from his. "Hardly," she said sarcastically. "I mean people are always so excited to move and come to a new school." Paul laughed. Jessica rolled her eyes. Susannah looked from one to the other multiple times a devious look on her face. Before the exchange could continue Father Dominic's voice rang out.

"Susannah, Paul, Jessica! Fabulous I need to see all three of you in my office." Puzzled expressions crossed Susannah's, Paul's and my faces. Susannah and Paul began walking. Jessica however stood where she was. Father Dominic sensing this turned around. "Come on Jessica," he said. She looked at him warily then followed the other three and I followed her.

Once inside Father Dominic's office the three were completely quiet as the father began looking through his draws. Susannah and Paul looked completely comfortable in his office which was not surprising considering how many times they are there for some mediator issue or another. Jessica looked like she was about to get in big trouble.

"What's up Father Dom?" Paul asked.

"You're fiddling with your cigarettes again," Susannah added.

"We need to discuss something about your newest visitor, Susannah." Both Paul and Susannah looked alarmed and quickly glanced at Jessica. Jessica was drawing on her jeans looking totally bored. "But first, Jessica," Father Dominic continued. Jessica looked up. "I need to ask you a favor." She raised her eyebrows. Father Dominic handed her a picture. Jessica didn't even glance at it.

"So," she said in a very pissed off voice, "this how it's gonna be?"

"Jessica…"

"Jess. It's Jess. God not even my mo…" abruptly she stopped. "Jess," she said venomously. "We went over this last time we met. And I'm sure it was in my file."

The father sighed. "Sorry… Jess," he said still hesitant about using her nickname. He paused then went back to the earlier discussion. "Anyway, it's just this once. If you could help me just this once, please, Jess."

"Yeah, well what if I don't want to? What if I want to leave _that_ behind me?" she demanded. I ventured a look at Paul and Susannah. Both looked seriously interested in the conversation

"Jess, we both know that's not true. You wouldn't be here if you wanted that."

Then Jessica did something totally startling. She started laughing. It wasn't a happy laugh either. It was a more evil laugh. "Bull," was all she said then crumbled up the picture and stuffed it in her pocket. She jutted out her chin. "Anything else, _Padre_?" she asked. Father Dominic shook his head in defeat. Jessica stood up and left with out another word.

"That," Susannah said after the door was closed, "was interesting."

"Father Dom," Paul said, "if I may say so whatever _that_ was, it did not go very well."

"Thank you both for pointing that out," he answered. As if suddenly sensing that I was still there Father Dominic looked up. "Jesse, aren't you suppose to be somewhere?"

I sighed. "It's boring though. I can't talk to her," I stated in boredom.

The father breathed heavy. "Jesse, we've been over this. Please do it as a favor to me. She needs someone to watch over her."

"I don't know why after the way she hit that boy this afternoon when she heard him making fun of her country accent. I think she can hit harder than Susannah."

"Who?" Susannah asked suddenly curious. Then she slumped back in her chair. "Oh," she said. "Her. Of course. That's why he's been following her all day. Did you know that that brat is in everyone of my classes?"

"Susannah," Father Dominic said tiredly, "please refrain from calling anyone a brat."

"Well, she is. I mean look at the way she treated you."

The father sighed yet again. "That was personal matter. She had every way to react the way she did. If you knew her past you would understand, but you will under no circumstances ask her. She will probably just end up punching you," he said with reluctance. Then he turned to me. "Jesse please just go. I will fill you in on the conversation later." I gave him a sour look, glanced at Susannah who was steadily ignoring my eyes, then left.

It wasn't easy to find Jessica. She hadn't made any friends yet so she wasn't with the other kids. Instead I found her at the cemetery of all places. She was walking aimlessly through rows of head stones. When she came to mine, as if she knew who I was, she stopped and looked at it. She smiled at what was written on the head stone. Susannah had picked it out when I was in the Shadow world. "Wonder what mine will say," Jessica said to herself out loud. "Freak Dreamer most likely. Or Child Finder. Lightning Girl. Or maybe Jessica touched by the finger of God." Jessica then snorted. "Gotta wonder which finger."


	6. Spindle

Susannah's POV

"So Father Dom, what's up?" Paul asked once Jesse had disappeared.

"Well you both remember that ghost that Susannah had a visit from a week ago?" he asked. Paul and I nodded. That ghost had been a scary one. Screaming her head off about how the girl that was suppose to find her did, but then almost died trying to save her. Instead this woman whose ghost was now haunting me killed herself to buy time for this girl that found her to escape. That's all the ghost would tell me and that I HAD to talk to the girl. Problem- no name, no address, and no real message. The ghost refused to tell me what I was suppose to say to the girl. "Well, I have had a visit from her. I calmly explained that we were searching for the girl, but without more information we couldn't do much. She screamed that I shouldn't need anymore information and that she could not give me more. She's becoming quiet violent."

"So let's just exorcise her," I suggested getting bored with this conversation. Hey! It was my lunch period. Surprisingly ghost do not run my life. Well, at least not all of them. I wanted to go find Jessica and see what Jesse was up to even though I'm so fully ignoring him still. That didn't mean, however, that I couldn't still you know love him or anything.

"I sort of have gotten the feeling from your descriptions, though," Paul added in, "that this girl she keeps talking about is in some kind of trouble." Whoa score for smart boy over there. Duh Paul. That's just why the she keeps screaming.

"Exactly, and whether she means to or not each time we talk to her we get more information out of her so disposing of her now will not help us save this child."

"So why don't we pull the information we have now and give it to Cee Cee. See if she can come up with some information. That's the stuff she's good at," I suggested. Cee Cee had helped us many times since she found out about me being able to see and talk to ghost. It hadn't taken her a while to figure out after she knew about me that Father Dominic could also see ghost. It had taken a little bit longer for Paul, but she still got it fast. Now when our job required us to do some research she had helped us countless times.

"Excellent idea," Father Dominic agreed.

"Alright so what do we know? She works with some sort of government group."

"She has short brown hair," Paul said.

Father Dominic's eyebrows cam together. "The ghost mentioned something about an unusual talent."

"Obviously it's not talking to ghost because then this ghost could just go talk to her herself," I hypothesized.

"She's in high school," Paul added. "Though, we don't know which year."

I didn't think I knew anyone by that description. "She also wears a star necklace," I added our last piece of information. Still I could not think of anyone that I had seen, talked to, or read about that matched the description. It was the special talent that threw me. I knew a lot of people with special talents (not any that would fit for this problem, but still…) or one that fit the physical description, but none that fit both.

"Oh dear," Father Dominic breathed.

Paul and I looked at him suspiciously and demanded he tell us what.

"I believe I know who this person is."

"Yeah and…?" I prompted him.

"I'm not a liberty to say," he said miserably. "Do not say anything to Ms. Webb at this time Susannah. I need to do a little more research if you don't mind." I smiled at him to tell him I understood. Then Paul and I left completely bored with the end of that conversation. I actually wished Jessica had stuck around. As crappy as she was she was interesting with this mystery hanging about her.

"So," Paul began once we were in the hall, "you really not going to say anything to Cee Cee?"

"Like hell I'm not. If Father Dominic knows this person the chance is Cee Cee does. And since it's my ghost I believe I have the right to know who this girl is."

"I don't know, Suze. Father Dom seemed a little freaked out when he thought he might know who it is. Maybe this is one you should listen to him on."

I raised my eyebrows. "Going all soft on me, Paul?"

He snorted. "Hardly." We began walking down the hallway. Like a sixth sense when we reached the courtyard I knew instantly that Jesse was not there. I nodded goodbye to Paul and took off towards the cemetery—always my first spot to look since he first moved to the school instead of my room. Sure enough I saw him and Jessica. Jessica was looking at a tombstone that I knew instantly was Jesse's. Jesse was studying Jessica with interest and it stirred jealousy in me.

Jessica looked up as I approached. "Oh hi," she said softly. "I didn't think anyone would ever come down here."

I shrugged. "I come down here often. Why are you so interested in that tombstone?" I asked in somewhat of a hostile voice despite my efforts to keep in even.

She looked startled by my question. "It made me think… you know about what would be written on my tombstone if I were to die tomorrow." She spread her arms in front of her. "Here I have no family, no friends, no one who would care what was written." Her eyes looked as if there was more to that statement but she didn't say anymore. "Is there are reason why you came here today?" she asked before I could respond.

"Oh, just to see the grave of a ghost I know," I told her honestly. I wanted to see her reaction. Would she think I was kidding or would she think I was trying to make fun of her?

Her reaction was not what I expected, though. She stumbled back through Jesse, who she could not feel, looking at me alarmed.

"You're… you're one of them?" she asked in a neutral tone despite her shocking reaction just moments before.

"One of them what?" I asked confused.

She lowered her voice to a whisper. "One of those mediators. You know those people that can talk to the dead." I was thoroughly shocked. I braved a look at Jesse and saw he was a surprised as I was. "Like Father Dom?" she asked. I was too shocked still to do anything but nod. "Oh my god. Paul is one too isn't he?" she demanded.

"Yes," I squeaked out. "How… how do you know about us?"

Now it was her turn to look alarmed. "I… I… just do okay? Listen don't tell the father I know okay? He doesn't know and I would like to keep it that way. I don't know how much he knows about… me and my… he can't know I know about him okay?"

"You… you can't see ghost right?" I had to ask.

"No."

"So you aren't aware that you have had a ghost following you all day?"

Jessica's gray eyes grew big. "I have?" She groaned. "Oh my god. What does this ghost look like?"

I blushed. I couldn't help in. The first thing that came to my mind was he's hot. I couldn't of course say that in front of him, not after the whole I love you incident. "Um… he's from the 18th century, if that helps," I said. "He's a friend of Father Dom and me.

Jessica's eyes narrowed. "Then why on earth is he following me?" she demanded.

"Um…" I shifted my weight suddenly uncomfortable. "From what I've heard—I'm kinda ignoring the ghost—Father Dom asked him to look after you, protect you."

Jessica swore under her breath. Then she looked at me with her eyes sparkling. "Oh my god! That's why you've been so cold to me!"

I brought my eyebrows together although I was sort of getting what she was hinting at. I glanced at Jesse to see if he was paying attention and I could tell he was. He was waiting for my response. It was obvious that he was a little mad at me for being so cold to Jessica and he still wasn't over the brat comment I had made in Father Dom's office, although he wouldn't say anything to me. He was giving me my space. "Huh?"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Please don't play dumb with me. You think I didn't see you smiling your approval to the albino. It was only AFTER I sat down you started acting cold to me. And don't deny it. You're like in love with this ghost aren't you? And now you're ignoring him because you told him you love him and he freaked out. Am I right?" My jaw dropped as did Jesse's. Again I shifted uncomfortably.

"How did you know?" I finally got out.

She shrugged. "It's my job to see these things. You observe, collect data, and solve the problems. Or when it's not involved with you, you find every detail you can, examine it twenty million times, find the pattern, and solve the mystery. I'm not nearly as good as the people I work… worked with, but I'm better at the teenage stuff because I am one. Let me tell you though, don't let him get away. I'd stop ignoring him right now if I were you. You never know when you might be ripped away from him especially if he's a ghost. To be separated from the one you love… it does crazy thing to the body and heart. A black hole as tiny as the head of a pin in the beginning slowly grows till it consumes the heart. You soon can't feel anything, sadness, anger, laughter, love—they don't exist to you. You become a lone figure standing as a shadow of dark. Then the blackness starts consuming your mind driving you closer and closer to madness until you break destroying all that is close to you. One person brings you back to reality and you try once again to hook on to that love that was once your grounding to the world. That love though, by that time is no longer there and in essence you are holding on to nothing. Your appetite dies away and with it your body whittles away. You become a hollow shell until uselessness and old age take you to your next life." She paused the added, "That is, if he's your true love, but I heard a myth once that mediators only have one love in their life. It explains Father Dominic. I mean he's a priest. Isn't _allowed_ to fall in love." She stopped again. "Tell this ghost of yours that I don't need nor want his protection and if Father Dominic has a problem with that then I will deal with him." Jessica turned away and left me alone with Jesse since the first time I told him I loved him.

We both stood some what winded form Jessica's speech. I looked shyly at Jesse. I had never told him about the physic telling me I would only have one love in my life. I had always thought he had figured it out, but considering how he had acted to my confession of love and how his face was twisted at this moment he hadn't. "Susannah," he whispered, "is it true about the myth?" I nodded even though I had no idea. It was the truth for me and that's all that mattered at that moment. Jesse stepped forward and hesitantly put a hand on each of my hips. "Susannah," Jesse said softly before the shrilly voice of Cee Cee called out to me.

"Suze!" She said running down to me. I pulled away from Jesse and saw the flash of disappointment in his eyes. "Paul told me that you wanted to talk to me." Jesse visibly tensed at Paul's name.

"Oh yeah. I need you to do a research for me. It's got to be secretive, though. I need you to find out if there's been a person of a certain description in the news recently."

"No prob. What's the profile?"

"Short brown hair, works with some government group, wears a star necklace, in high school, though we don't know which grade, and has a special talent."

"Female?" I nodded. Cee Cee smiled. "Awesome. I'll get the information to you soon as I can. Anything else?" I shook my head. "Then we should get to class."


End file.
